1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas purge unit, a load port apparatus, and an installation stand for purging container.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, manufacturing process of semiconductors includes the following technique (bottom purge) a gas supply nozzle is arranged on an installation stand of a load port apparatus and is made contact with a gas supply port provided at a bottom part of a wafer transport container to introduce a purge gas therethrough and clean the inner atmosphere of the wafer transport container by the purge gas.
In such a technique, the gas supply nozzle and the gas supply port may be dislocated due to positional variation or inclination of the gas supply port. This space causes a problem of leakage of inert gas supplied from the gas supply nozzle or a problem of intrusion of the outside air into the wafer transport container via the space.
To solve such a problem, mechanisms for pivotting a nozzle body or a tip of the nozzle are disclosed (see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). In these mechanisms, however, a nozzle member having a nozzle opening or part thereof is pivoted, and thus there is a limit to make nozzle structure smaller.
Also, these techniques need a portion where an elastic member is rubbed to pivot a nozzle member having a nozzle opening or part thereof and ensure sealing property. Thus, rubbing chips (particles) generated by friction of the portion may flow into a water transport container via a passage.
In the conventional techniques, a space may be generated between a nozzle tip and a supply part when only a small amount of extraneous matter is generated at the rubbed portion to worsen the motion of the pivoted portion and hinder followingness.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-164948
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2014-36185